The nucleus of a multiprogramming system
Communications of the ACM
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Phrases such as 'distributed processing' and 'distributed operating systems' are currently very much in vogue and are being applied to many systems that seem to be entirely different in nature. What used to be a system with a separate Input-Output channel or a multiprocessor system or a network without load balancing is now a distributed system. The common feature seems to be a multiplicity; i. e., more than one, of clearly distinguishable modules, as determined by the beholder, operating simultaneously. This paper is an attempt to categorize distributed systems so that one can examine the generic characteristics and problems associated with each category. The first step is to realize that distribution involves the apportioning of a set of tasks among a set of entities that can perform the tasks.